US Army Training Center - Yearbook (Fort Leonard Wood, MO)

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.. A PRODUCTIVE FUTURE Lt. Col. Leo Crabbs was the first Post Commander, with his Head- uarters at 11th and Colorado Avenue. The Post then consisted of four bar- acks for enlisted men and one for officers. No modern facilities were avail- ble and baths could only be obtained in local towns. Construction of build- gs continued and early in the spring of 1941 there was enough housing for e first cadres. The Engineer Replacement Training Center was organ- ed under the command of Brigadier General U. S. Grant, III. More and more barracks were being built and the railway was extended om the town of Newburg, 21 miles away. The 6th Infantry Division arrived om Minnesota by train in May, 1941 and the 72nd Field Artillery Battalion me by motor convoy from Fort Knox. today u modern fourlane hi9hwuyV 'ell l

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lUHl HHNHHH WHUU A COLORFUL PAST . . Fort Leonard Wood's history began with a modest ground-breakir ceremony on 3 December 1940. From that moment until May, 1941 worke by the thousands, together with their tools and equipment sprawled acro- the budding army camp - to be one of the largest in the country. Work pr- gressed through one of the wettest seasons the area had known and tl muddyvconditions attracted great publicity. The new Camp was designated the VII Corps Training Area at Hrs When the administrative officers arrived it was named after Major Gener- Leonard E. Wood. He had gained fame in the campaign against Geronirr and during the Spanish-American War. He was chief of Staff, United Stat- Army from 1910 to 1914. ' ir. ,f.- ,

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After the 6th Division fnot to be confused with the 6th Armored Divi- sionl came the 8th, the 75th, the 97th and the 70th, all of which trained one after the other prior to either maneuvers or overseas shipment. The ERTC continued to function and was later called the ASFTC fArmy Serv- ice Forces Training Centerl. The Post trained more than 300,000 men between 1941 and 1946. At one time the population was around 50,000. In 1946 the Post was inactivated. Some 50 civilians and about 5 officers remained to safeguard the build- ings and property. Soon the buildings began to fade and grass grew wild over the once busy training areas. For four years the Post lay dormant. The Korean conflict brought demand for more trained troops and Fort Leonard Wood sprang to life once more. It was reactivated in August, 1950, and the 6th Armored Division was designated as a replacement training division. On 16 March 1956, after more than five years of training the divi- sion was deactivated and Fort Leonard Wood became the home of the United States Army Training Center, Engineer. The program now includes basic military training, advanced engineer training, specialist training and the leadership school. w i w l l l I Y Aww -QRi'.:'9'a' ?s.Wb+!!?dAxil!'